Goethe, Schiller, Kafka, and many other famous names in the German literary cannon are men. Yet some of the most influential books written in German, whether contemporary or classic, are written by women.
Summer's in full swing. The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and the flowers are in full bloom. But does the promise of sunny days fill you with delight or foreboding? These German poems describe summer at its best and worst and will inspire you to get out that German dictionary again.
American author Michael Levitin's 'Disposable Man' is based largely on his time in Berlin - in which the marriage of past and present leads to a surprise discovery.
A number of tragic deaths linked to a German novel sparked discussion about the effects of depicting suicide in the media. 250 years later, the topic is more relevant than ever.
From a transgender teddy bear to
a fearless girl pirate, children's authors are tackling gender norms like never before, as debate rages about what it means to be a boy or girl.
Margaret Atwood, Dan Brown and Nicholas Sparks are among the big names descending on Frankfurt this week as the world's oldest book fair glams up for the Instagram generation, hoping to wow the crowds with "live events" by star authors.
Rising rents are tightening the screws on aspiring young writers, but the capital city still offers a uniquely cosmopolitan literary atmosphere, the editor of a Berlin literary magazine tells The Local.
From consulting a book doctor to immersing yourself in an author's world with the help of virtual reality, here are five things not to miss at this week's Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest publishing event.
There will still be more books than you could ever read, but visitors to this week's Frankfurt Book Fair will also be invited to don virtual reality goggles, visit an interactive classroom and discover 3D-printed art as publishers plug into new technology.
Killing chickens, stealing pretzels and filling the teacher's pipe with gunpowder. It's probably not the behaviour most parents try to encourage – but it's been a part of German youngsters' bedtime routines for 150 years this week.
The list of the top six German-language books in the running for this year’s German Book Prize was announced on Wednesday. The Local takes a look at the titles competing for the distinguished literary prize.
With less than three weeks to go before 'Grimmwelt' opens its doors to the public, visitors to Kassel's newest attraction can soon immerse themselves in the imaginations of two of Germany's - and the world's - most famous storytellers.
Harry Rowohlt, the first person to translate Winnie the Pooh into German and a respected translator and publisher – not to mention a lover of Irish whiskey and a soap opera actor – has died aged 70.
Germany's Nobel laureate Günter Grass, widely regarded as the country's most famous writer, died on Monday at the age of 87, his publishing company said.
100 years ago, Franz Kafka published The Metamorphosis, now seen as one of the most significant works of 20th century German literature. The Local speaks to the academic who has reinterpreted it for a modern audience.
One of Germany's last literary lions of the World War II generation, Siegfried Lenz, who was credited with helping his country grapple with its Nazi legacy, died on Tuesday aged 88, his publisher said.
A German minister on Wednesday threw her weight behind the authors battling US online retail giant Amazon over its alleged strong-arm negotiating tactics with publishers.
Nobel prize-winning writer Gunter Grass, author of The Tin Drum and one of Germany's most influential if controversial intellectual figures, has said he is unlikely to write another novel.
Marcel Reich-Ranicki, Germany's leading literary critic and a survivor of the Holocaust, has died aged 93. One of the most famous figures of the literary world, he is our German of the Week.
Nobel Laureate and Germany's favourite grumpy old man Günter Grass is living up to his reputation for voicing everyone's dad's thoughts and called on people to distance themselves from Facebook and "all that crap".
A German author has penned a book exploring homosexuality in the popular cartoon series The Simpsons. Erwin In het Panhuis, a Cologne-based librarian, analysed 490 gay scenes and over 70 homosexual characters which featured in the show.
It's an intriguing premise: Are Germans ready to elect a Jewish politician chancellor? British journalist David Crossland has written a novel exploring themes of racism and neo-Nazi violence in Germany. The Local has excerpts.
It's an intriguing premise: Are Germans ready to elect a Jewish politician chancellor? British journalist David Crossland has written a novel exploring themes of racism and recent neo-Nazi violence in Germany. The Local has excerpts.
